Combination mailbox and parcel post carrier



March 26, 1940. N. c. HELTEN 2,194,900

COMBINATION MAILBOX AND PARCEL POST CARRIER Filed June 29, 1937 4 sheets-Siles a 1 ATTORNEY 26, 1940. N Q HELTEN 2,194,900

COMBINATION MAILBOX AND PARCEL POST CARRIER A'r'rdRNEYS N m L E H C. N

Filed June 29, 1937 ATTORNEYS March 26, 1940. c, HELTEN v 2,194,900

COMBINATION MAILBOX AND PARCEL POST CARRIER Filed June 29, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 WbiG-fizfeyl NvENToR ATTORNEYS construction thereof in its entirety is novel and Patented Mar. 26, 1940 UNITED STATES COMBINATION MAILBOX AND PARCEL POST CARRIER Nick o. Helten, Calio, N. Dak.

Application June 29, 1937, Serial No. 151,001

3 Claims.

The invention relates to a combination mailbox and parcel post carrier and more especially to a rural mail receiving and delivery apparatus.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character, wherein the mailbox is separate and independent from the parcel post carrier, the latter being adapted for tilting movement and on the tilting thereof automatically opens for the introduction of parcel post matter therein while the mailbox proper is supported for sliding and swinging movements and is adapted for rural service in the reception and delivery of mail matter, being novel in its make-up.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a'device of thischaracter, wherein the same is supported by a stand and will receive and deliver mail matter both letters, parcel post packages or the like, being weatherproof and on the opening of the door of the mailbox the mail matter within the same can be readily picked up and also a mail deliveryman or carrier is en-.

abled to place mail matter within the box more conveniently in that the box under its movable mounting can be pulled close to the deliverer of the mailmatter when within a vehicle thus avoiding the necessity of leaving the vehicle for the picking up or delivery of mail matter.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character, wherein the enables the quick handling of mail. and parcel post matter either in the receiving thereof or the delivery of the same.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character, which is comparatively simple in construction, thoroughly reliable and efi'icient in operation, convenient for the handling of mail matter and parcel post matter in-rural districts, strong, durable, and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture and install.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the features of construction,

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 2.looking in the direction of the arrows and showing by full lines the normal upright position of the parcel post receiver and byv dotted lines the tilted open positionthereof.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line l-4 of Figure 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

. Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 6 is a top plan view of the mailbox and parcel post carrier in normal position.

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6 showing the parcel post receiver in an open position with the mailbox released therefrom.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views in the drawings.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the device comprises a stand A involving vertically disposed or perpendicular uprights or end posts H] and a lower connecting bar ll joined with the uprights or posts by the unions l2 while at the upper ends of these uprights or posts are fittings l3 and M, respectively, for an upper rocking bar or tube l5. Located between the bars ll and i5 and also the cel post receiver in the form of a trough-likebody l6 and to its rear wall is connected by hinges i! a vertically swinging cover or top l8. The bar I5 is susceptible of rocking movement and has fixed therein depending arms 19, these being pivoted at 20-exteriorly to opposite ends of the cover or top l8 so that on the swinging of the body it from an upright or perpendicular position to a forwardly tilted position the cover or uprights or posts lll connected therewith is a par top 18 will be automatically opened giving access to the interior of the body for the placing of parcel post packages or the like therein or their removal therefrom. The body It has fixed thereto bearings 2|, these rotatably fitting the bar II to allow for tilting movement of the body l6, the bar ll being the axis about which the body l6 swings. When the body I6 is returned to normal upright or perpendicular position, the cover or top I8 automatically closes thereon.

One of the uprights or posts Ill has a rotatable upper section 22 carrying an outwardly directed horizontally disposed forked bracket 23 which is made secure to said section 22'and swings in a horizontal plane laterally to one side of the stand A to be at right angles forwardly with respect to the latter or beyond one end of said stand and substantially parallel therewith. This bracket supports a bed 24 provided longitudinally thereof with spaced parallel tracks 25 fitted with runners 28 at the bottom of a mailbox proper 2? and in this manner the latter is slidably fitted upon the bed 2 so that it can be extended or retreated at the option of the user thereof.

The box 21 at its open front is provided with a vertically swinging door 28 hinged at 29 and exteriorly thereof is a hand grip 38 convenient for the opening and closing of said door 28.

On the body it constituting the parcel post receiver at the end thereof next to the box 21 is arranged a latching trigger 42 which is pivoted at l? and is operable by a hand grip 44, the trigger 32 being designed to latch the body HS in an upright or perpendicular position by engaging a lug 45 on and rising from a swinging arm 46 fixed to the turning section 22. This arm 46 carries a pivoted latching pawl or dog 4'! engaged with a keeper extension 48 fixed to the upright or post It immediately below the turning section 22 and the path of movement of the arm Q6. This pawl or dog ll when engaging the keeper extension 48 latches the bracket 23 in a forwardly extended position at right angles to the stand A so that the mailbox 2? will be at right angles to the receiver body 15 and forwardly of the stand A carrying the latter. When the pawl or dog 4'1 is released from the keeper extension 58, the bracket 23 can be swung horizontally in a lateral direction away from the receiver body Hi. On the bracket 23 close to the door end of the box 21 is a cranked control lever 49 which through linkage 58 connected with the pawl or dog 4'! will operate the latter to release the same from the keeper extension 43. This lever has associated with it a spring 5| which is for the purpose of having the dog or pawl 47 automatically latch with the keeper extension ie when the bracket 23 is swung to a position'forwardly of the stand A and at right angles thereto and thus secure the arm 46 in a position to have the latching trigger 42 engage with the lug 45 on this arm and thus fasten or hold the parcel post receiver body it in an upright or normal perpendicular position in the stand A. The latching trigger 62 is releasable from the lug 45 by the hand grip l 'l when pulled upon and thus the receiver body 26 will tilt forwardly and its cover or top it automatically open.

Connected to the pivots 20 for the links l9 and with the receiver body l6 forwardly thereof at opposite ends of the same to be interiorly of the said receiver body are link chains 52 which serve to limit the forward tilting of the said body it and the opening of the cover or top I8 under tilting action of the said receiver body.

The uprights or posts l may be of any desired length to elevate the receiver body 16 and the box 2T at the height desired from the ground or a foundation upon which the stand A is arranged. I

The door 28 is held closed by a spring catch 55 upon the box 2?.

The box 2? cannot swing horizontally from its normal position at right angles to the stand A except by releasing the dog or pawl 41 from the keeper extension it. To tilt the receiver body It, independently of the turning of the mailbox, it is necessary that the trigger latch 42 be released from the lug 45 yet this body it will not tilt forwardly until the grip. is pulled upon after the release of the trigger 32 is just mentioned.

Assuming that the receiver body [6 is in normal closed perpendicular position and that the mailbox 2'! is at right angles to the stand A for projecting forwardly thereof and that the receiver body and box contain mail matter for collection, to gain access to the receiver body the trigger 42 is manually operated, a pull is exerted upon the hand grip A l and the said body I6 will be released from its latched perpendicular position and tilted forwardly of the stand A. This forward tilting of the body l6 causes the lid or cover it to automatically open giving full access to said body for the removal of mail matter therefrom or for the placing of mail matter therein. On return movement of this body 16 to perpendicular position it becomes automatically closed and latched by the trigger 42 engaging the lug 45 in a manner as before stated. For convenience in the placing of mail matter within the box 2'! by a user or owner and also for the placing of mail matter within the body 55 it is required that the cranked control lever be manually operated causing the release of the pawl or dog 4? from the keeper extension 28 so that the bracket for the said mail box 21 may be freely swung laterally beyond one end of the stand A to be in position readily accessible to said user or owner. Simultaneously the latching trigger 522 through the engagement of the lug on the arm d9 causes the receiver body to be automatically tilted forwardly and become open for the placing or" mail matter therein. The control lever 39 is operated only for the release of the pawl or dog from the keeper extension 48 whereby the said bracket for the mail box 21 can be swung horizontally beyond one end of the stand away from the receiver body l6. As long as the lug i5 is engaged with the latching trigger t2 the arm 46 will have leverage action on the said trigger 42 for the moving of the body l6 forwardly to an open position or reversely to a closed position.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus of the kind described comprising a stand, receiving and delivering bodies carried by said stand, one of said bodies being swingaole vertically and the other of said bodies swingable horizontally, a lid for the vertically swingable body and connected to the latter for opening and closing movements, means connecting the lid with the stand for effecting the automatic opening of the said lid on movement of the vertical swingable body in one direction and also the automatic closing of the said lid when the said body swings in the reverse direction, and manually operable means for latching both of said bodies against swinging movement and automatically releasing one of said bodies for movement independently of the other body.

2. An apparatus of the kind described comprising a vertically swingable body, a horizontally swingable body, a lid mounted on the vertical swingable body for opening and closing the same, means active upon the lid on movement of the vertically swingable body for automatically opening and closing said lid, means manually controlled for normally locking both bodies against swinging movements, and means associated with the last-named means for releasing the horizontally swingable body therefrom and allowing movement of said bodies independently of each other.

3. An apparatus of the kind described comprising a vertically swingable body, a horizontally swingable body, a lid mounted on the vertical swingable body for opening and closing the same; means'activ'e upon the lidon movement of the vertically swingable body for automatically opening and closing said lid, means manually controlled for normally locking both bodies against swingingcmovements, means associated with the last-named ,means for releasing the 7 horizontallyswingable body therefrom and allowing movement of said bodies independently of each other, and means for limiting the movement of the vertically swingable body on the opening of its lid, the said bodies being ar ranged adjacent to each other and normally pro-' 5 I jected at right angles, to one another. w

NICK 

